Album Review: Overoth – The Forgotten Tome (Hostile Media)

Irish blackened metal band, Overoth will release their new album, The Forgotten Tome on September 22nd 2017 via Hostile Media.

The band had this to say regarding the upcoming release:

“We’ve been working on this album for what seems like an aeon, but finally we’re pleased to announce that our hard work and determination for perfection has come to a close. We actually tracked the drums, guitars and vocals for this album around two years ago, and we had planned to add some subtle orchestration as we had done in our debut Kingdom Of Shadows… however… when Dan (guitars) got started, the songs yearned for much more than we had anticipated.

It would be further months of writing, from violins to piano, to the use of ancient instruments like the duduk and ney flute and then back and forwards with mixing… it would appear mixing twenty instruments isn’t all that easy! We also had a grand vision for the artwork and working with a talent such as Will Simpson was a great experience, he really did bring our vision to life. The artwork is a story in itself, with multiple pieces all intertwined. There is more than what the cover art depicts, but we’ll reveal all that at some point in the very near future. Finally, The Forgotten Tome is complete and we are set to unleash the beast into the world this September.”

Ten tracks of furious extreme metal backed up by epic sounding orchestration, The Forgotten Tome is not an album to take lightly. It offers more then just your standard extreme metal with a piano or violin chucked in for good measure.

Each song is structured in a way that it makes it feel like you’re on a journey with Overoth. One that is all about beautiful destruction. Take a track like Winter of Iniquity. Its sense of grandness doesn’t overshadow what is at heart, an intense filled slice of black metal. The awe-inspiring riffs, chunky drum beats & guttural vocals mix with the subtle symphonic elements perfectly resulting in a seriously heavy but beautiful song.

The thumping guitar groove of The Keeper & the short, punchy traditional black metal sound of God of Delusion continue the impressive work on show. Before the title track ups the stakes by laying on deeper, brooding orchestral vibes & throws out an unexpected guitar solo helped along by a roar of hate ripped straight out of a demonic mouth.

While there is no denying that The Forgotten Tome isn’t reinventing the wheel when it comes to mixing extreme metal with orchestration, Overoth get the balance so right that it’s impossible to not enjoy the blackness they are spitting out.

There is very little room to breathe as the final few tracks continue the blasting metal directed at your senses. The first pumping beat of Harbinger of End Times & the darkness filled symphonic metal melody of Shadows in a Thousand Shades of Black finish things off in style.

Overoth – The Forgotten Tome Full Track Listing:

1. Opus Obscura 2. Sigil of the Empty Throne 3. Winter of Iniquity 4. The Keeper 5. God of Delusion 6. The Forgotten Tome 7. Leviathan Swallowed the Sun 8. Mar the Gates 9. Harbinger of End Times 10. Shadows in a Thousand Shades of Black